The path of growth for commercial land in Collin County runs north along the Dallas North Tollway into Prosper and Celina, and east along US 380 through McKinney, Princeton and Farmersville. Both corridors are getting major road investment, and the county added an estimated 75,734 residents in a single year, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. The Agency Dallas helps owners, investors and developers buy and sell commercial land and development sites across Collin County.
How fast is Collin County growing?
Faster than nearly anywhere in the country:
- 1,305,366 residents as of January 1, 2025, up from 1,229,632 a year earlier, per NCTCOG's 2025 population estimates.
- 2,154,649 projected by 2050 in the same NCTCOG publication.
- Second in the nation for numeric population growth from 2024 to 2025, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released in March 2026.
- Fastest-growing cities include Princeton, Celina, Anna and Melissa, where growth has been strongest in percentage terms.
Rooftops come first and commercial follows. Each wave of new homes creates demand for grocery-anchored retail, medical office, restaurants, schools, churches and service businesses. That is what makes land near the leading edge valuable before the commercial buildings arrive.
Where is the path of growth in Collin County?
The Dallas North Tollway corridor: Prosper and Celina
The North Texas Tollway Authority is extending the tollway from US 380 north to FM 428 through Prosper and Celina. NTTA's May 2026 progress report lists the Phase 4A opening as late 2027, with Phase 4B to the Grayson County line still to be determined. Interchanges along a new tollway segment, such as Frontier Parkway, tend to draw retail, office and mixed-use plans. Our post on Prosper's first big commercial project at Frontier Parkway and the tollway shows the pattern.
The US 380 corridor: McKinney, Princeton and Farmersville
TxDOT plans to rebuild US 380 across Collin County as a controlled-access freeway, with a bypass north of McKinney and a new alignment north of Princeton. TxDOT documents have put the countywide US 380 and Spur 399 program near $8 billion, though The Princeton Herald reported in May 2026 that the bypass corridor is not currently funded. Some segments are moving sooner. A US 380 project in McKinney from Coit Road east was registered with the state to start in June 2026.
The Collin County Outer Loop
The Outer Loop is a long-range county road planned to cross northern Collin County. NTTA's tollway work includes structures where the tollway meets the Outer Loop alignment. Land near future Outer Loop interchanges is longer-term, but it can be bought before the market prices in access.
McKinney National Airport and east McKinney
The extension of Spur 399 around McKinney National Airport to US 380 is designed to serve eastern Collin County. The first segment is expected to be finished in summer 2029, according to TxDOT, as reported by Community Impact. Commercial airline service at McKinney adds another reason businesses may look east. Our post on what nonstop flights mean for Collin County covers that change.
What makes a commercial land site in Collin County valuable?
Being in a growth corridor is only the start. The factors that set the price:
- Frontage and access. Hard-corner sites at signalized intersections carry a premium for retail and pad users.
- Zoning and the future land use plan. What the city's comprehensive plan calls for matters as much as current zoning.
- Utilities. Water and sewer capacity, and whether the site is in a city, its extraterritorial jurisdiction, or unincorporated county.
- Floodplain and topography. Creeks that run through much of the county can take usable acreage off a tract.
- Road timing. Whether the highway near the site is funded, under construction or still being studied.
- Nearby rooftops. Approved and under-construction subdivisions within a few miles.
Our checklist on how to evaluate a development site in North Texas before you buy it goes deeper on each item.
What commercial uses follow residential growth?
- grocery-anchored shopping centers and retail pads,
- medical office and urgent care. Princeton broke ground on its first medical office building in 2026, per CultureMap Dallas,
- schools, churches and childcare centers,
- self-storage and service retail,
- multifamily and build-to-rent communities,
- flex and light industrial along major highways.
How should landowners and investors approach Collin County land?
For landowners: know what your land is worth to a developer, not just as acreage. A site that sits next to a planned interchange can be worth far more once access is certain. A commercial broker opinion of value built on zoning, utilities and land comps gives you a starting point before you talk to buyers.
For investors: buying ahead of growth can pay off, but carrying costs, property taxes and road delays add up. Investors rolling proceeds from a sale into land should time the search carefully. See what happens if you miss the 180-day deadline in a 1031 exchange.
For businesses: some firms weigh suburban sites against close-in office. Compare costs with what it costs to lease office space in Preston Center.
For larger acreage and rural tracts beyond the growth edge, our Land & Ranch Division works alongside the Commercial Division. Residential trends are in our Collin County housing market report.
Frequently asked questions
Where is commercial land growing fastest in Collin County?
The two main corridors are the Dallas North Tollway extension north through Prosper and Celina, and the US 380 corridor east through McKinney, Princeton and Farmersville. Both follow rapid residential growth and major road projects. Land near future interchanges and hard-corner intersections tends to draw retail, medical office and mixed-use buyers first.
When will the Dallas North Tollway extension to FM 428 open?
The North Texas Tollway Authority's May 2026 progress report lists Phase 4A, from US 380 to FM 428 through Prosper and Celina, as opening in late 2027. Phase 4B, from FM 428 to the Grayson County line, has no opening date yet. Road timelines can change, so check NTTA's latest report before relying on a date.
How many people live in Collin County?
The North Central Texas Council of Governments estimated 1,305,366 residents as of January 1, 2025, an increase of 75,734 in one year. NCTCOG projects about 2.15 million residents by 2050. U.S. Census Bureau estimates ranked Collin County second nationally for numeric population growth from 2024 to 2025.
What should I check before buying commercial land in Collin County?
Check zoning and the city's future land use plan, water and sewer availability, floodplain, frontage and access, and whether nearby road projects are funded or still being studied. Also look at approved subdivisions nearby, since rooftops drive retail and medical demand. The Agency Dallas can pull land comps and help you weigh each factor.
Sources: North Central Texas Council of Governments, 2025 Population Estimates (May 2025); U.S. Census Bureau county estimates as reported by CultureMap Dallas, March 2026; North Texas Tollway Authority, DNT Phase 4 Corridor Progress Report, May 2026; Texas Department of Transportation, Collin County design projects, early 2026; The Princeton Herald, May 21, 2026; Community Impact, December 2025; Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation project filing TABS2026008453.
To buy or sell commercial land in Collin County, visit the Commercial Division of The Agency Dallas.
